Why were all the male Israelites to be circumcised? Some Baptists will answer that question by saying that all the male Israelites were to be circumcised because God had made a gracious (though not saving) covenant with Abraham’s natural seed. The idea is that God made two covenants with Abraham: a covenant of saving grace with Abraham’s spiritual children and a covenant of common grace with his natural descendants. Though these Baptists may or may not use the phrase “common grace,” their teaching that God promised “physical blessings” to the natural seed of Abraham amounts to saying that God promised...
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Did God make a gracious covenant with Abraham’s natural descendants? There are many who say that He did. We know that God said He would establish His everlasting covenant with Abraham. Often we quote God’s covenant promise found in Genesis 17: “And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for...
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us—Romans 8:18 INTRODUCTION Glorification is the final step in our salvation: “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified” (Rom. 8:30). Glorification is the final step because there is nothing after it: when we are glorified, our salvation will be complete and we will have reached the goal that God ordained for us. Paul sets glorification before us,...
THE MEANING OF VICARIOUS One very important word in connection with the death of Jesus Christ is the word imputation. In the previous article in this rubric, we examined the biblical teaching concerning imputation (see July 2025, pp. 372). Another equally important word is vicarious. Jesus’ death was a vicarious death. That means that Christ’s death was in the place of and as the substitute for others. Christ did not die for His own sins, but He died on account of the sins of others. He did not pay the penalty for any of His own wrongdoing, but He suffered...
Numerous are the disagreements today regarding God’s covenant. There are different views on what God’s covenant is. Some speak of God making different covenants with different groups of people. Many say God has made both a common-grace covenant and a particular-grace covenant. In answer to the question whether God’s covenant is conditional or unconditional, some would say it depends on which covenant you are talking about. With all the distinctions people make when talking about God’s covenant, it can become confusing trying to explain all the different views. So where does one begin to write about all this? I have...
Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time—1 Peter 1:5 INTRODUCTION Salvation is God’s work of delivering us from sin into the possession of everlasting life. Salvation is God’s greatest work: a work that He planned in eternity, that He accomplished in the cross of His Son, and that He applies by His Spirit. We have seen the various steps by which the Holy Spirit in logical order applies the benefits of salvation in this life: regeneration, calling, conversion, faith, justification, and sanctification. But everything would be in...
professor emeritus of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary, and member of Southwest PRC in Wyoming, Michigan In this and following articles in the rubric “Taking Heed to the Doctrine,” I plan to spend an article or two explaining a number of different theological terms. These are terms that are used to explain important doctrines of Holy Scripture. Often these words are used in our Reformed confessions, in systematic theologies, and even in upper level catechism books like the “Essentials of Reformed Doctrine,” by Herman Hoeksema, which is used by high school students in the...
home missionary in the Protestant Reformed Churches, and member of Zion PRC in Jenison, Michigan “Do you hold to covenant theology?” If someone asked you that question, how would you respond? To answer the question, there must be a common understanding as to what covenant theology actually is. With this article we turn to a discussion of a number of issues in what is called covenant theology, and how these issues have a bearing on our understanding of the church institute and the sacraments. My most recent articles in this rubric have been on the church of Christ: The...
pastor of Providence PRC in Hudsonville, Michigan Previous article in this series: January 2025, p. 142. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God—2 Corinthians 7:1 CLEANSING OURSELVES The Bible teaches two main things about sanctification: first, God sanctifies us; and second, just as important, we are active in sanctification. In a text like 2 Corinthians 7:1 the latter aspect of sanctification is on the foreground, although the former is always presupposed. Some people might view it as improper that we...
pastor of Providence PRC in Hudsonville, Michigan Previous article in this series: September 15, 2024, p 517. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord— 2 Corinthians 3:18 SANCTIFICATION: GOD’S WORK In this article we continue our explanation of sanctification, the sixth step in the ordo salutis: regeneration, calling, conversion, saving faith, justification, sanctification, preservation, and glorification. Our definition was: “Sanctification is God’s work of making elect, regenerated, justified sinners holy.” We have looked at...
